Legendary Director Bob Dylan Hails Timothée Chalamet's Jaw-Dropping Musical Talents

Timothée Chalamet, a relatively unknown actor, has received high praise for his exceptional musical abilities from James Mangold, the director of the Bob Dylan biopic. While Chalamet is preparing for his role as Paul Atreides in Dune: Part Two, he is also getting ready for a drastically different role as the iconic musical star Bob Dylan. In the biopic, titled A Complete Unknown, Chalamet will portray Dylan during the early 1960s, specifically highlighting the controversial moment when Dylan decided to go electric at the Newport Folk Festival. This decision resulted in him being labeled a traitor by some members of the folk community.

Not only will Chalamet act as Dylan in A Complete Unknown, but he will also showcase his own musical skills by singing and performing Dylan's songs in the film. Although this may seem like a daring move for the young star, director Mangold, who previously guided Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon in their musical endeavors for Walk the Line, expresses no concerns about Chalamet's ability to deliver. During an interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, Mangold discussed Chalamet's ongoing preparations for A Complete Unknown and praised his musical talents. Listen to what he had to say in the section below (around 28:00 of the clip).

Chalamet Will Also Test His Musical Ability In Wonka

Timmy is putting in a tremendous amount of effort at this very moment. We have been engrossed in musical rehearsals, diligently laying the groundwork for our learning process. However, the music itself is extraordinary, and Timmy's talent is truly remarkable. I have complete confidence in him and in the other individuals who are also joining us. Much like the making of an Indiana Jones film, the expectations are exceedingly high, but we have a strong sense of camaraderie and love among us. For the past three years, we have essentially dedicated ourselves to this movie. Consequently, we have engaged in extensive preparation. When the COVID pandemic forced us to suspend production temporarily, we did not cease our progress. We continued writing, rehearsing, and Timmy continued playing guitar, even carrying his instrument through the vast landscapes of Dune and strumming while riding a worm.

Playing Dylan’s legendary tunes in A Complete Unknown appears to be a sufficient test of Chalamet’s musical prowess. However, the actor is about to embark on an even greater musical challenge in another film. In this year's Wonka, Chalamet not only assumes the role originated by the incomparable Gene Wilder and later portrayed by Johnny Depp, but he also showcases his own vocal talents. Fans were treated to a glimpse of Chalamet's singing abilities in Wonka when a set video surfaced on the internet in 2021.

Chalamet will silence any doubts about his prowess in music-heavy roles if he successfully performs Dylan's songs and delivers memorable tunes as Willy Wonka. The release date for Chalamet's portrayal of Dylan in the film "A Complete Unknown" is still unknown, but it is anticipated to be sometime in 2024 or 2025.